Her First Day
by amortentiaaa
Summary: COMPLETE! Lily Evans's first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She's rather nervous too, since she doesn't even know where platform nine and three quarters is. Oops.
1. The Surprise and the Platform

**_Her First Day_**

Lily Evans's first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She's rather nervous too, since she doesn't even know where platform nine and three quarters is. Oops.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I did, I probably would've let Lily and James go out in their first year. Okay, maybe not, too immature back then. But anyways, I don't own anything. On with my story...**

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The Surprise and the Platform**

Lily Evans was extremely nervous about her first day at her new school. You might say everyone is nervous about a first day at a new school, but Lily had a special case. She was going to a school for _wizards and witches_.

And she had never known there were such people. Initially, she had been rather stunned, as anyone would have been, but then she realized all the physics she studied over the summer probably would not be of much use. So she read her arse off, figuring out what this school was about.

Too bad Lily couldn't find anything on magic until she went to Diagon Alley, late in August. She had to rely on the Snape boy from Spinner's End for any information on Hogwarts and magic in general.

She wondered why she was a witch when her older sister, Petunia, was not. Of course, Petunia could not make flowers at the Spinner's End playground open and close their petals. Petunia had been more frightened than awed, but Lily was proud of herself. She had wondered if there were such powers in the world… that she possessed. She had also thought Petunia would have some form of them, too, since they were sisters—very close and loving sisters at that. But that had all changed once Petunia realized she couldn't go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with her sister.

The two of them had worked studiously, writing to the headmaster of Hogwarts, asking whether Petunia could go also. The deputy headmistress, addressed as Professor Minerva McGonagall, informed Lily that Petunia could not go if she did not demonstrate a witch's powers. From then on, Lily tried to teach Petunia how to open and close flower petals, but to no avail.

Lily had thought Petunia would understand. She would miss her dear sister also! She never expected her Tuney to turn a cold shoulder on her. Once Petunia realized she did not have Lily's powers, she became extremely horrid to her, first ignoring her, then even calling her a freak. Lily was not sure if she could ever find someone at her school who was as close to her as Petunia was.

She even spent a while deciding whether to go or not. However, she had already accepted. And Petunia would not take back her words, for she was rather stubborn.

So Hogwarts, it was.

Lily had not really stopped to think about her new classmates. All she could think about was leaving Petunia behind… and how in the world to get to Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station. She had been there many times, never seeing a Platform 9¾.

Since her parents had dropped her off early, to her request, she had time to sit at Platform 9, contemplating. She stared intently at everyone around her, trying to determine wizard from Muggle.

Finally, she saw a boy with messy dark hair and his family. He was obviously really excited about something or another but trying to cover it up with a cool look. He bade his parents goodbye and ran through a wall…

Wait.

He ran _through a wall_?!

She tried blinking really hard.

One minute he was there… and the next, he was gone. And yes, he had been running with a cart of boxes and suitcases at the wall.

The boy's parents were going past her now, off towards the direction they had come from. Apparently, there was nothing wrong with their son running through a wall. Maybe they could help her out.

Lily quickly stood up and pushed her cart after the couple, eager to ask them about the wall. They turned, she followed.

And then they were gone.

The entire hall was empty. It wasn't like the boy's parents could hide in a crowd or something. Perhaps they had ran through a wall too… although Lily swore she had heard two faint cracking sounds as she had turned the corner. And it wasn't like she wanted to try running into random walls.

Glumly, Lily headed back to Platform 9. She had forgotten which wall the boy had ran through. She paced about, not straying far from her cart, which was parked against a wall. She decided pacing would not help and went back to her cart. Frustrated, she leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

Lily screamed suddenly as she landed on a cold, hard floor. Actually, her lower body was on the cold, hard floor. She had tumbled into someone as she had gone through the wall accidentally, letting that poor person break her fall.

"Uh…" a voice below her muttered. "Oh crap, must be a Muggle by accident."

Lily lifted herself off the person below, not hearing the murmurs. "Thanks," she said.

The boy yelled, "DOES ANYONE HERE KNOW HOW TO DO A MEMORY CHARM?"

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**A/N: This is not my first stab at a fanfic, but I decided to post this one before my KBOW one because (1) Lily was my first favorite character, (2) I was so excited about this, and (3) I don't have a title for that one... tehe. This will be about four chapters long (not very long, I know, but I'm working on two KBOW oneshots, so it's longer than those!) about Lily's first day of Hogwarts. It was originally intended to be a oneshot, but I couldn't stop writing... Reviews would be appreciated; constructive criticism encouraged.**


	2. The Boy and the Train

_**Her First Day**_

Lily Evans's first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She's rather nervous too, since she doesn't even know where platform nine and three quarters is. Oops.

**Ch 1 Summary: Lily Evans is nervous about attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, particularly since she is leaving her older sister Petunia at home. She witnesses a boy run through a wall, but not being able to find the wall he went through, she leans against a wall frustratingly... and falls through. The boy she saw earlier yells to ask if anyone can do a memory charm...  
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**Disclaimer: This is only the second time, and I'm already sick of this. Poor authors who write sixty-chapter stories. Only JKR owns the HP story, aite?**

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**The Boy and the Train**

Lily was rather astounded. What the heck was a memory charm?

She saw a few people come over and a rather plump woman with auburn hair make her way through the crowd and approach her and the boy.

The boy said out of nowhere, "Need some help?" He offered Lily a hand and helped her up.

"You were shouting about a memory charm, James?" the plump woman asked the boy with ebony hair.

"Yes, Mrs. Prewett. This Mug- er, girl here fell through the wall by accident."

"Alright. I'll get her cleaned up and out of here." With that, the woman pulled out her wand.

Lily realized this _was_ the right platform after all.

She squeaked, "Uh, is this platform nine and three-quarters?"

The woman was taken by surprise. She looked at the boy, confused, and turned back to Lily. "Yes, child."

"She's probably just a Mudblood," an older girl with brilliant black hair offered. She glanced at Lily and walked away with a younger blond girl, probably her sister.

The ebony-haired boy and the plump woman looked rather irritated with the passerby.

"Maybe she just looked up at the sign…" the boy called James suggested, pointing up at the sign on top of her. Of course this was platform nine and three-quarters. The freaking sign above Lily said so. How could she be so daft?

Lily piped up, "No, no, I'm going to Hog… Hog… um, Hog…" Her mind unfortunately decided to blank out at the moment.

"Incase you couldn't read, it's 'Hog-_warts_,'" an amused blond boy sneered. He motioned towards a scarlet train. On the front, it said _Hogwarts Express_. Oops. Again.

The plump woman glanced at the boy again. She fingered her wand, undecidedly.

"Oh, duh!" Lily said to herself. She had forgotten about her own wand. She hurriedly took out her wand from a pocket, twirling it in her fingers.

The woman looked taken aback, as she said, "Oh right, dear. May I ask where you acquired such a, um… stick?"

"Ollivander's at Diagon Alley. Ring a bell?" Lily answered politely.

"Sorry, Mrs. Prewett," the boy interjected before the woman could answer, "I guess I was mistaken. She must be a Muggle-born who found the right wall by mistake."

"Right. Now, dear, where are your belongings?"

Her cart. Oops. It was still "outside," hanging around where random Londoners could push off with her suitcases.

"Oh, they're outside…" Lily whispered.

The plump woman, presumably Mrs. Prewett, quickly hurried through the wall and came back with Lily's cart. "Does this look like everything, child?" she asked Lily.

Lily examined her cart, surprised but obviously glad that no one had stolen anything. She nodded and said thanks to Mrs. Prewett.

"No problem, dear. I'll be off now. James, get her aboard, it's almost eleven o'clock."

The crowd had dispersed, and Mrs. Prewett walked off. It was just Lily and this boy now.

"Sorry about that," he stammered. "You should get on the train now. Here, I'll help you with your trunk."

He picked up Lily's trunk with ease and walked towards a door of the train. Lily followed, bringing her suitcases. She noticed his strong and buff build, learning later that the boy had played chaser for Quidditch for many years.

"Thanks," Lily breathed.

The boy answered, "No problem. I need to go to get my trunks though, okay?" Lily nodded. "Well, bye for now then," the boy said as he started going down the steps of the train.

She was alone now.

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**A/N: Posted a new KBOW oneshot. :D Hope you enjoyed; that was my probably favorite chapter to write (I've already finished most of the four-chaptered story) 'cause they meet and it's all chaos, tehe. Review, please!**


	3. The Other Boy and the Ride

_**Her First Day**_

Lily Evans's first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She's rather nervous too, since she doesn't even know where platform nine and three quarters is. Oops.

**Ch 2 Summary: Lily is helped up by James and Mrs. Prewett and recognizes Platform 9¾. Some nasty passersby make crude remarks at a very confused Lily. She proves her magic with her wand from Ollivander's. James apologizes for causing such a ruckus since he assumed Lily was a Muggle who accidentally found ****Platform 9¾ and helps her onto the Hogwarts Express...**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or characters. Don't sue, please. Used a bit of JKR's HP7 in this; no copyright infringement intended!**

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**The Other Boy and the Ride**

Lily dragged her trunk and suitcases down the aisle of the train. Most of the compartments were already full. If that boy had not stopped her, she would have gotten a compartment for herself. But she was lucky enough to have accidentally found the platform. She had almost been late.

She walked through some more compartments, muttering apologies for disturbing people. She saw the blond boy who had so kindly reminded her of her new school's name. He had glared at her, only to continue talking to his friends.

Lily was rather glad he hadn't said anything. The black haired girl from earlier had been worse. She had called Lily filth and scum of the earth, though Lily had no idea why. A younger blond girl had laughed along with the first girl. Yet a third girl in the corner with the same hair as the black haired girl and the same eyes as the younger blond girl had told "Bella" and "Cissy" off. Bella and Cissy had only glowered at their middle sister. The Bella girl had opened her mouth to start yelling at Lily again when Lily's instincts finally kicked in, and she ran to the end of the compartment, closing the door. She could hear shouts within the compartment.

Lily hurried along the train. She opened another compartment door to find the boy from Spinner's End. She had met him at the playground; he had snuck up behind her and Petunia and told her she was a witch. Both sisters thought he had been joking at first, but Lily talked to him some more once Petunia had begun ignoring her.

"May I sit here?" Lily peeped.

The boy grunted, "Sure."

"So, Severus, how was the rest of your summer?"

She was apparently not that great at making conversation.

"Okay," he grunted again.

"Great."

"Yeah."

Lily began, "That's—"

The compartment door slammed open as the blond boy came in. "SNAPE! What are you doing? Associating with Mudbloods, now are we? You're half-blood and not much better, but if you really want to make friends in Slytherin, you shouldn't hang out with this kind of… _filth_," he spat.

"But he's not in Slytherin yet," stated Lily.

"Shut up, you... Let's go, Severus. You can sit in my compartment, if you really want to."

"It's okay, I'll leave…" Lily said, as the older blond boy's friends started coming into the compartment. She dragged her stuff as fast as she could, out of the compartment, out of the door, out of their reach.

The next few compartments were really crowded. She apologized quietly and kept going.

Then she came upon the boy with the ebony hair in a compartment with three other young boys. There was one with familiar hair that she recognized from somewhere, a skinny one who looked rather tired, and a third sitting in the corner with his back turned.

"May I sit here?" she asked them. "The rest are full."

The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow and nodded. Lily pushed her trunk and suitcases aside then sat down next to him. She looked up to see him staring at her.

"Wow, your hair is red."

Lily had a bad first impression—no, second, the first impression was that he was nice enough to help her out with her trunk—of him already. She wondered if all boys were this stupid.

"Way to go, James. As if she couldn't tell," the weary-looking boy next to "James" said. "Oh, and I'm Remus Lupin."

"Hi. I'm Lily, Lily Evans."

"James Potter. I believe we met earlier." He did not imply that anything out of the ordinary had happened.

The third boy squeaked, even better than Lily did, "And I'm Peter Pettigrew."

She merely nodded. The last boy did not say anything. He kept sulking and staring out the window. She now noticed he seemed to be rather skinny and tall with nice black hair down to his chin.

After a pause, Peter whispered, "We were just talking about Quidditch. What's your favorite team?" Amazingly, he had tried to strike up a conversation, even though his voice was barely audible.

"She's Muggle-born, Peter," James said matter-of-factly.

"Oh."

Remus smiled. "Do you know what Quidditch is at all?"

Lily shook her head. "I tried to read up about wizards, but I couldn't find much..."—"obviously," James had muttered—"though Severus had told me a bit and—"

"Severus? As in Snape?" James suddenly asked. Lily nodded. "Don't talk to him, please." Lily cocked her head to the side a bit, as if in question, but James said no more.

"Anyways," Remus said, breaking the silence, "Quidditch is a sport where wizards fly on broomsticks…"

"Flying isn't that bad, don't be so frightened," James added, noticing the shocked look on Lily's face.

The boys talked about Quidditch until a red-headed prefect came in. Lily didn't really say much at all. She had been thinking how happy she had made some friends—or acquaintances, really, since her mom didn't want her to be extremely close to boys. As a matter of fact, her only friends or acquaintances, basically people she knew the names of, happened to be boys. She had yet to befriend some fellow first year girls; she had not caught Bella and Cissy's middle sister's name.

Ah, that's where Lily recognized the boy's hair, the one sulking quietly in the corner. He had the same hair as Bella and her sister, Lily just knew it.

The red-headed prefect suggested that we change soon.

"Got it… Weasley?" James said as the three boys and Lily stood up, leaving the last boy in the corner of the compartment.

"Who was that, James?" Lily asked apprehensively.

"Bilius, Bill, Will, something Weasley, I think. Prefect in fifth or sixth year or something, though he seemed like an unlikely choice. Pretty cool guy… our parents know each other, probably. He had an older brother here a few years ago, too."

Lily smiled and listened while making their way to the bathrooms. They parted and changed into their uniforms.

The three boys were back in the compartment by the time Lily had changed, still talking about Quidditch.

Lily was content with staring out the window at the beautiful countryside scenes when she was really thinking about leaving Tuney behind. She didn't know anything about Quidditch anyways.

The fourth boy was also changed out in a new-looking uniform, although he gave it a depressing aura, not unlike himself. At least he had started talking now, even if it was only about Quidditch.

He was saying, "I don't like the Wimbourne Wasps much. Just because…" when the door opened.

It was Severus Snape.

All four boys immediately turned their backs to the newcomer and continued their highly educational conversation regarding the European Cup for Quidditch.

Lily quickly glared at him and turned back to the window. She just realized she had been crying over Petunia. She thought it was strange how she felt so horrible about leaving Tuney "behind" since Petunia was older than her… and that just sounded unusual. Usually, the older sibling would leave the crying younger sibling at home without any form of contact. Lily could not bear to think about her sister.

Of course, seeing Severus Snape while she was reminiscing childhood memories with Petunia definitely did not help.

So she said thinly, "I don't want to talk to you."

"Why not?" Severus asked dumbly.

"Tuney hates me," Lily stammered, tears welling up in her emerald eyes. "Because we saw her letter… that letter… from Professor Dumbledore."

"So what?"

Oh, Lily was not about to put up with this sort of arrogance from a wizard. If she hated one thing, it was unfairness like inequality and bullying. If she hated a second, it would be arrogance, which happened to be common in many males. Severus was getting more and more annoying by the moment. Soon, she would probably be calling him by just his last name in a tone of deep dislike.

"So she's my sister!" She tried very hard to refrain from adding on many inappropriate words at the end of that exclamation.

He began, "She's only a—"

Lily was sniffing now; she did not hear the start of Severus Snape's sentence.

"But we're going! This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

Well, duh. And Lily was off to leave her sister behind. She could not deny that she was not excited though. She smiled weakly at the greasy-haired boy.

"You'd better be in Slytherin."

"Slytherin?!" the boy James exclaimed, saying the word with great distaste. "Who wants to be in _Slytherin_? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

The fourth boy—who had not said a word until Quidditch came up—looked up at James and Severus. "My whole family has been in Slytherin," he said monotonously, without a smile.

James looked extremely surprised. "Blimey! And I thought you seemed all right."

"Maybe I'll break the tradition," the boy with dangling black hair grinned. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

Lily thought of Slytherin since her only real friend was determined to go there.

Gracefully, James lifted an invisible sword. "'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad," he said with admiration in his voice.

Lily decided Gryffindor wouldn't be that bad either. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall had been Gryffindors. And the way James had said it was kind of charming… along with the boy himself.

Severus slightly gagged at James's choice. Remus and Peter were still silent, probably wanting to stay out of this.

The other boy turned to face Snape. "Got a problem with that?" he demanded.

Severus snickered, "No. If you'd rather by brawny than brainy—"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" the boy with Bella's hair had inserted.

James almost fell over laughing.

Oh no. Lily's two favorite and most friendly Hogwarts boys not only wanted to be in rivaling houses… they also had already started a rival between themselves. Now she really couldn't choose between them.

She picked Severus Snape, the greasy-haired boy. Even though James Potter was better looking by far, Severus was less of a prick, unless that counted towards Tuney. But Petunia wasn't being very nice to Lily now, either.

"Come on, Severus, let's go find another compartment," Lily ordered as she stood up angrily.

James and his newfound best friend mocked her and Snape by imitating her voice.

Severus stood up and joined Lily, but James even tried to trip him up.

Lily tried very hard to hate James. Very, very hard.

She left the compartment with Severus, presumably heading towards the front of the train because all compartments would be taken. They were almost at Hogwarts, anyways. She could see a slight outline of the school in the distance.

"See ya, Snivellus!" James's voice traveled as someone slammed the compartment door shut.

Yet Lily Evans could not stop herself from noticing James Potter was rather cute… even if all he did was make fun of Severus and brag about Quidditch.

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**A/N: Thanks for any reviews, guys; love those:) This chapter was _considerably_ longer (more than the first two put together!) since this had to include the train scene from Snape's penseive in HP7. :P I liked this chappie 'cause it's all from Lily's POV.**


	4. The School and the Sorting

_**Her First Day**_

Lily Evans's first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She's rather nervous too, since she doesn't even know where platform nine and three quarters is. Oops.

**Ch 3 Summary: Lily sees the snide blond boy (Lucius), Bella (Bellatrix), and Cissy (Narcissa) again while she is trying to find a compartment. She ends up sitting with Severus Snape, who she had befriended over the summer, but the blond boy enters and scolds Severus for associating with a "Mudblood." Lily leaves and sits in the Marauders' compartment instead. The boys talk about Quidditch for most of the ride, Severus comes in, they quarrel (naturally), and Lily leaves with Severus...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. These are all JKR's ideas... put to good use. :D**

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**The School and the Sorting**

Severus Snape and Lily Evans were hanging about the bathrooms on the train, blending in with those in line to change into their school robes; their initial compartment had undoubtedly been taken over by the obnoxious Mudblood-hating blond boy and his friends. This was all thanks to James Potter and his new best friend teasing "Snivellus" about Slytherin House.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in approximately five minutes' time," a voice echoed through the entire train, "so please leave your luggage on the train. Do not worry, it shall be taken to the school separately."

After a few minutes of Lily and Severus watching students frantically change into their dress robes, the train started to slow down.

Severus looked out the nearest window and smiled. They were approaching a sea of black waters, something his mother had told him about for a bedtime story when he was younger.

He said, "This is it, Lily. This is _really_ it."

Lily smiled meekly, her nerves finally getting to her. She felt rather excited, yet her stomach was full of fluttering butterflies.

"Hopefully this won't happen when I'm on my first date," she muttered under her breath, trying to assure herself while taking her mind off the wonderful school in the nearing distance.

The train finally stopped.

Lily grabbed her things and said, "Severus, let's go before the rest of the students come out."

Severus nodded and dragged his trunks down the aisle behind Lily.

They deposited their items in a compartment that was empty except for a few trunks.

Many students joined them in the aisle as they struggled towards the door and out onto a small, dimly-lit platform.

Lily had been looking around when she heard a booming voice say:

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! C'mon now, firs' years!"

She and Severus walked over to where the sound had come from. It was not a particularly hard place to find since a great man of about thirty years towered above the students. She wondered how anyone could grow so tall as she stared at him from her petite 4'10 figure.

"Any more firs' years? Over here!"

"How could anyone possible not be able to see him?" Lily heard a boy behind her ask.

The huge man started walking towards a marvelous black lake. He continued booming at the students, telling them to watch their step and keep following him. It wasn't like anyone could get lost from his voice, anyways.

Lily followed Severus down an exceptionally narrow path on what had to be a very steep mountain. She lost her footing slightly and had a small tumble.

Severus put down his stuff and quickly climbed back up to help Lily, but someone had gotten there first.

Lily felt a tug on her arm from behind. She looked up, up into two great bespectacled hazel eyes.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"No problem," James said. "Glad I was here to save a pretty little damsel in distress."

Lily blushed furiously as she wondered where he had learned to sweet talk girls like that, especially for an eleven-year-old! James grinned as Severus glared at him and grabbed Lily, urging her on.

"Be careful with her, Snivellus!"

Lily could hear Severus mumbling under his breath. She didn't want to know what he was saying about James; she still felt rather flattered by him, anyways.

After a few more moments of difficult journeying down the mountainside, the huge man from before called out, "Firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, firs' years! Round this bend here!"

Lily saw the vast castle in the starry night once she had approached the edge of the black lake. She "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed along with all of the other first years.

"C'mon now," their huge leader shouted. "Get on these, no more'n four to a boat!" The students directed their gaze to the fleet of small boats by the shore that Hagrid was pointing to.

Lily and Severus climbed into one boat, where a girl called Alice and a boy named Frank soon joined them.

"Everyone in? FORWARD!"

All the boats launched at once. There were a few whispers and splashes in the awed silence of the first years.

They soon approached the cliff with the castle, which towered over them much more than the great man with the booming voice had, situated on it.

The thunderous voice returned: "Heads down!"

All the students ducked and looked back up to see a wide opening in the cliff. They went through a long dark tunnel and reached an underground harbor.

"C'mon, out now, firs' years!"

The lot of them awkwardly climbed out onto the land—or rocks and pebbles, rather.

"Ready now?" a familiar voice boomed.

A few of the students in the front of the throng, including James Potter, nodded eagerly.

The huge man knocked three times on the large wooden door. The door promptly opened to reveal a tall witch in fabulous green robes who had apparently been waiting for them.

Lily immediately took a liking to this stern-looking woman and the color of robes she was wearing—they matched her own eyes.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

The witch replied, "I will take them from here. Thank you, Hagrid."

The great man named Hagrid nodded and went over to the side, leaving the new students with the witch, who pulled opened the slightly-ajar door, revealing a magnificent entrance hall.

A few of the students started whispering. Lily just stared at the place, in awe. She wondered how big the entire school must be.

There were flaming torches lighting the walls and a marble staircase facing them that led upwards.

The first years huddled together and followed the witch McGonagall across the floor, past a closed doorway on the right, which was emitting a murmur of many voices, presumably of the rest of the students. They, however, were led to an empty chamber at the end of the hall. They all filed in, now nervous as ever.

Professor McGonagall began, "Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will start shortly, but you first years will be sorted into your houses before taking your seats. The Sorting is very significant; it will put you into the house you will be spending your seven years at Hogwarts with. Your house will be like your family here; you will take classes with the rest of yours house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room…"

Severus was fidgeting. Lily felt like this would take a while, also, but she was really wound up.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," she droned on. "Each house has its own grand history. Each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house you will be sorted into."

Severus smiled and mouthed "Slytherin" to Lily.

"The Sorting ceremony will take place in a couple of minutes in front of the rest of the school. Smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting… I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." And with that, she left the chamber.

Lily looked nervous. What if she made a fool out of herself? embarrassed herself in front of everyone?

"It's not any sort of hard test, you just put on a hat or something, and it reads your mind, basically," Severus revealed, comforting her.

Meanwhile, James was telling the other students stories of what the sorting might be. Fighting a vampire, beating a troll, defeating a banshee, on the stories went.

"Move along now," a sharp voice interrupted James's stories. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned for them. "Now form a line, and follow me."

The first years scrambled into a line as fast as they could, each going to the end of the line. James strode proudly up to the front, along with the three other boys who had been in his train compartment.

They walked out of the chamber and through the double doors that had been closed earlier. Now the first years walked in, most anxiously, to have all the eyes in the Great Hall on them.

Lily looked around at the splendid hall and its many candles floating in the air. There were four long tables of older students seated in front of many empty plates and goblets. One was decorated with scarlet and gold lions, one with yellow and black badgers, another with blue and bronze eagles, and the last with green and silver snakes. She thought the green was very pretty, as they matched her eyes as well as Professor McGonagall's robes. She noted that this was Slytherin house.

There was another raised table with the teachers, including Professor Flitwick, who had taken her and her parents to Diagon Alley for school supplies. Lily and the rest of the first years followed Professor McGongall up there, stopping to face the other students.

She then noticed that the ceiling looked like the starry night outside. Just like it. Or maybe there was no ceiling at all.

Professor McGonagall quietly put a four-legged stool in front of the line of first years. Atop the stool was a strange-looking hat. It seemed to be very old and very dirty. Suddenly, the hat twitched and a rip near the brim opened wide and began to sing.

Lily had been listening to the hat's welcome song about how Gryffindor was for the bold and brave, Hufflepuff for the kind and loyal, Ravenclaw for the smart and wise, and Slytherin for the shrewd and cunning, when Severus nudged her and gestured towards the corner. Ghosts were now pouring out of the walls. Some of the students stopped listening to the song in surprise. Lily was quite taken aback herself.

When the song ended, everyone clapped. The hat bowed to each house table and quieted as Professor McGonagall came forward with a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name," she said, "you shall put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."

The first years nodded weakly.

"Aubrey, Bertram."

A plump blond boy went up to the stool timidly.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Hat shouted.

The table of yellow and black badger decorations clapped loudly.

"Avery" was sorted into Slytherin, "Bagman" and "Belby" into Ravenclaw, and "Belcher" into Hufflepuff.

"Black, Sirius."

Lily saw Bella whispering to her younger blond sister Cissy at the Slytherin table. She had been unfortunate enough to come upon them twice on the first day—once at the platform and another time on the train; both times they insulted her with words like Mudblood and scum and filth.

The depressed-looking boy from the train who had sided with James against Severus stood up and slowly walked to the stool. He grumpily put the hat on and shut his eyes tight. Then he began muttering something to himself.

"Hm," Lily heard the hat whisper. "Should be… GRYFFINDOR!"

The Slytherin house table was glaring daggers at the boy yet refrained from booing. The Gryffindor house applauded him excitedly. For what seemed to be the first time, "Sirius" smiled.

"Bletchley" was sorted into Slytherin, and "Bones" went to Hufflepuff.

Lily wondered why so many people had a last name starting with B. Her turn would never come, and if it did… well, she'd probably need to use the bathroom by then.

"Catchlove, Greta" was sorted into Ravenclaw as the list of C's began. "Cattermole" and "Cresswell" followed her.

"Evans, Lily," Professor McGonagall called after "Edgecombe" was sorted into Ravenclaw.

Lily quickly stepped up to the stool. She was thinking of either Gryffindor, where James and his friends were likely to end up, or Slytherin, what Severus had wanted, when she put on the Sorting Hat. Ravenclaw definitely wouldn't be bad either since she loved to learn, but she felt Hufflepuff was too nice for her to fit in. Of course, the Sorting Hat would choose for her anyway, and barely a second after it touched her head, it cried:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

This was followed by deafening cheers The Gryffindor table had not had a first year sorted into it since "Black, Sirius."

Lily glimpsed Severus groaning. She took off the hat and handed it to Professor McGonagall so "Fenwick" and "Jorkins" could be sorted.

She hustled over to the Gryffindor table but turned back to give Severus a short weak smile. "Black, Sirius" scooted over as she sat down, but Lily turned her back on him and crossed her arms firmly. She obviously still held a grudge against him because of his awful comment to Severus. After all, she had already let Severus down by joining Gryffindor, the nemesis of Slytherin House.

Alice and Frank from the boat were also sorted into Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, respectively.

"Lupin, Remus" was called and sorted into Gryffindor. "Black, Sirius" clapped loudly at this.

"McKinnon" and "Meadowes" joined Gryffindor, and "Mulciber" Slytherin. "Pettigrew, Peter" was hurrying to sit at the Gryffindor table with "Black, Sirius" and "Lupin, Remus" when Professor McGonagall named:

"Potter, James."

He nearly strutted up to the stool and put on the hat, with his chin up. The hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" as fast as it had with Lily. He grinned widely and joined his three friends from the train compartment, all sitting happily united at the clapping Gryffindor table.

"Snape, Severus" was called by Professor McGonagall once one "Purkiss" went to Hufflepuff and another "Purkiss" to Ravenclaw.

He went and sat down on the stool. The hat took about ten seconds before it exclaimed, "SLYTHERIN!"

He walked over to sit with "Rookwood" and "Rosier" at the Slytherin table without bothering to look at Lily. The blond boy who had most courteously pointed out the words _Hogwarts Express_ painted on the train at the platform was wearing a badge on his chest and patted Severus on the shoulder. "Travers" soon joined them after a few more first years were sorted into Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

Professor McGonagall rolled up her parchment and took the Sorting Hat away.

A tall, bearded wizard with gray hair stood up. He was obviously the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Albus Dumbledore.

He beamed at the students as he announced, "Welcome, students! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Enjoy your meal, thank you!"

Lily looked down at the table, amazed that the students were now grabbing the delicious-looking foods closest to them.

She dug in with the rest of the food-hogging first years, not noticing that the Head of Slytherin House—the Potions Master—was telling Severus to see the Headmaster after the feast for some rather urgent news concerning his father.

- - - - - - - - - -

Severus Snape finally found the gargoyle marking the Headmaster's office after wandering around, following teachers from a distance. He had never liked asking other people for help. He told the gargoyle the password Professor Slughorn had given him and entered the opening hole in the wall that led to Professor Dumbledore's office.

When he climbed the stairs to the top, he found the door to the office open. He stepped inside and waited for the Headmaster and the news regarding his parents. He nodded to Professor McGonagall to acknowledge her leaving the office once she had put the Sorting Hat in a corner.

He approached it and decided to wear it again.

"Ah, Snape, Severus, is it?" the hat said. "Wondering why Evans, Lily was separated from you?"

Severus did not even need to nod since the hat could read his thoughts.

"At the first second, she appeared to be tough since she was intelligent, ambitious, brave, and kind at times, but she wanted Slytherin the most, apparently. Of course, you seem to have forgotten the fact that the great Salazar Slytherin did not choose Muggle-borns for his house. Because she was brave enough to want Slytherin as her top choice—and I could not grant her that—I sorted her into Gryffindor instead. Not that she had a bad mind either… I am sorry, but I cannot change any sortings I have made and do not plan to. I stick with my word. You in Slytherin, and Evans, Lily in Gryffindor. Hopefully you will find a way around the rivalry between your two respective houses."

And with that, Severus removed the hat and returned it to its original place on the bookshelf. He quietly waited for Professor Dumbledore's news, mind still on Lily rather than his father. He hoped his father had not gotten drunk and started beating his mother again.

_**FINITE INCANTATEM.**_

* * *

**A/N: Aw, it's the end; hope you guys all liked it! T'was considerably longer than I expected since the first book had all the scenes to this one. Read HP7 if you want to know about Lily and James's future**—**I'm pretty in canon—or read some of my upcoming stories. :D Or you could read _The Story of Four Friends_ by **Star of the North,** which is where my whole image of the Marauder era comes from -- based entirely off that FF. I had a hard time adjusting to Snape's pensieve scene because I believed Star of the North more than JKR. Haha. Make sure to read her! And** wishesanddreams **also, she's my beta for _Miracle_ (I'm her beta, too), and we might start another story together, featuring James and Lily. :D**


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